Three Words
by toastedmuffinz
Summary: [RenoxTifa][Oneshot:based on 'Sometimes Things Just Happen'] The three words they have yet to say to one another.


Pairing: Reno x Tifa (One-shot) Summary: The three words they have yet to say to one another.  
Disclaimer: Square-Enix rightfully owns the characters. Also, though no mention of the song whatsoever, this was still very lightly inspired by Secondhand Serenade's 'Stay close, don't go'.  
A/N: This serves somewhat as a short continuation 'Sometimes Things Just Happen'(yes, that fic which took me ages to update and caused everyone to have a memory lapse of it, lol) though the multi-chap fic needs not necessarily be read in order to understand this one-shot, at least I hope so XD I wasn't planning to make it connected, or lightly connected or whatever you wish to term it, but I thought a little background for the fic would help cover a few grounds. Anyhow, I do hope you guys would enjoy it and do let me know if you do. Cheers!

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The door slammed deafeningly. He stared at the brown carpet underneath him. There was a small patch of stain that certainly didn't belong there. He distractedly wondered where it came from. It was almost black in color, not more than two inches in diameter. _Must be coffee _– he mused. 

Behind the wall, on the other side of the room, she repeatedly took a few deep breaths. Her fists clenched and unclenched themselves. _What an ass_ – she thought.

His feet carried him to the kitchen and his hands picked up a glass to place it under the running faucet. Once it was full, he took a drink from it. When he drank half of it, he stopped and lifted it to his gaze for inspection. The aqua blue orbs took in the water droplets, the fingerprint smudge outside the glass and inside – the translucent water. The saying about a half-full and half-empty glass came into mind. He wondered which defined the current situation better.

He leaned heavily against the kitchen counter as his hand drew the glass close to his forehead. It gave a cool feeling to his otherwise heated skin. He tried unsuccessfully to track back to what happened moments earlier. His mind refused to cooperate as everything reappeared in a haze. Still, he remembered certain things. Like the harsh and cold words that flew from his lips. The anger that radiated within her and reflected in her wine colored eyes. The careless and thoughtless retorts he threw at her. The spiteful glares she directed at him. The frustration that was evident on his face. The hurt that was evident on hers.

His throat suddenly felt constricted as he heard a door being opened vehemently. Sounds of footsteps followed and he waited where he was. They stopped when they reached the kitchen entryway. He lifted his eyes to meet hers.

'I've had enough.'

Simply put, easily said. He swallowed hard. He kept his eyes trained on hers but she shifted her gaze away, refusing to meet his.

'It's only been two weeks and we've gotten into more fights than I could've ever imagined. I thought it could work out, I really did, but I was wrong,' she continued. 'We just began and I know it's incredibly selfish of me to walk out so soon, but this,' she gestured between them both, 'is really hard for me to take. I was broken once and I don't want it to happen again.'

'So it's over?' He bravely asked aloud.

She averted her head to the ground. Her sable hair fell like a curtain, partly hiding her face. A small nod.

His hand involuntarily gripped the glass in his hand. Did he really push his luck too far this time? Sure, he was selfish at times, a little on the inconsiderate side, and sometimes, quite the jerk when he wants to be, but he had never meant to hurt her. It took him so long to win her over that sometimes he wondered how did he managed to kept his perseverance. He remembered how pleased he was when she finally accepted him. How completed he felt when she reached her hand out for him to take.

But now he realized, he had taken her for granted. He forgot that despite the brave, cheerful front she put up, it was still fragile on the inside.

'Don't –'  
'Reno, be honest. Did you really think we were going to work out?'  
'What the f–' he felt thrown off guard by the question. 'What do you mean? It's sure as hell I did. I wouldn't have gone after you if I didn't.'  
'But it doesn't seem like it,' she softly replied.  
'That's crap and you know it. Please don't tell me you're going to shoot me something like 'you never seem to really care' cause that's just stupid. You _know_ I do. Why are you questioning this, me – us?' He barked exasperatedly.

His tone had gone notches higher than intended.

'Tifa,' he tried again in a lower tone, 'don't leave. If you walk out that door tonight and tell me you're not going to return, I don't –' he paused and swallowed hard before soldiering on, 'I don't know what I would do.'

'You'll make it on your own Reno. I know you will.'

He was almost tempted to bang his head on the wall at her response. He haphazardly messed the front of his hair with a desperate frown. 'Don't you get it Lockheart?' The look she gave him answered she didn't. He breathed in deeply. The aqua blue orbs kept their gaze on hers.

'You're not the only one who's feeling fragile and vulnerable. You're not the only one who needs someone by their side. You're – you're looking at someone who's feeling the very same way.' He said almost dejectedly. 'Before you, things – I, was different alright? There were things that I didn't know and never bothered to try to, but with you, it's different. And I am not good with words so I know I'm beating around the bush, going in circles, and –'

'Reno. Just what exactly are you trying to say?'

He sighed. The lower cabinet on his left became the victim of his frustrated kick. Tifa bit back a retort as she watched his actions.

'Why are you giving up so easily?'  
'I'm not.'  
'Really? Then enlighten me, what exactly are you trying to do?'  
'I just don't want to go on with this arguing and –'  
'I get it. No, you're not giving up. You're _running_.'

Her wine orbs flashed in anger. He unrelentingly threaded into the dangerous waters.

'Will you quit it Lockheart? Why are you running instead of trying to work this out?'  
'Because I learned from experience that sticking around and trying to _work_ things out never works.'  
'Just because it happened before so you think it's the same for every other time?' his voice was almost accusatory.  
'For someone who's trying to make me stay, you are sure as hell sounding otherwise.'

Her words led him to realize the circle they kept continuing. Something would happen; he would say something stupid, followed by a sudden turnaround of words. She would be hesitant; he would get frustrated over her hesitance and proceed to push all the wrong buttons, thus leading them both more incensed.

'Could we stop this?' Reno wearily slumped himself to the tiled floor. 'Is this the reason why we shouldn't be together in the first place? Cause we are opposites of one another?' he asked with no expectation of an answer from her.

Tifa sighed and cautiously walked over to him. With a distance between the both of them, she sat herself down. 'I'm sorry.'

'Don't be,' he stared at the tile on his left and distractedly examined it like he did to the carpet. No stains but little specks of dust that was almost invisible to the eye. He squinted hard at the tile.

'Didn't you ever think – that we wouldn't work out?' she asked again.  
'Honestly? I did. Once. When I first heard your description of me in the bar. If I recall correctly, it went along the lines of a 'motor-mouthed alcoholic smoker who goes around whoring'.'

A blush crept to her cheeks at his words, 'Sorry about that.'

He chuckled lightly, 'I thought if the girl looked at me in such a light then that's a definite red light there. Though in the past it would have been a compliment,' he added.

A small smile crossed her features and he caught sight of it as he turned his attention to her. 'But when I saw you playing the piano, I guess I changed my mind,' he said almost inaudibly as he kept his gaze on her.

'Why?' 'You were –' he paused and corrected himself, 'are different from me. The way you played reflected the person you are. Gentle, pleasant and genuine. A different personality compared to mine. But at the moment I thought maybe opposites aren't such a bad thing.'

'That's where you are wrong Reno.' Her response made him raise an eyebrow. 'We aren't that much of an opposite,' she said with a slight shrug. 'There are certain parts where we reflect each other, especially the fragility of our hearts. We both seek to be loved and wanted. Am I – am I right?'

He looked at her for a moment before slowly, almost hesitantly, nodded.

'Reno, if this really doesn't work out between us, do you think we could still be civil to each other?'  
He shrugged, 'Maybe. Who knows? But Tifa,' he paused as he boldly slid closer to her side, 'I don't want this to _not_ work.'

She felt a lump in her throat and her breath was caught for a moment as his next words worked its way into her comprehension.

'Because I love you,' he softly stated.

A moment lapsed without an exchange of words. Wine orbs stared at aqua blue ones.

'This will work because I love you. I am not going to stop trying in this relationship, no matter how crazy it gets. I won't walk out on you.'

His right hand gingerly found hers and held on to it. Tifa shifted her gaze to their hands. A small smile began to cross her features. A similar smile appeared on his. She switched her gaze to him once more. 'I guess I should say what's in my heart as well,' she said as she took a breath in before continuing, 'I guess – I love you.'

Reno made a face, 'You _guess_?' A short chuckle escaped her lips and Reno felt the constricted frustration and hurt pent up earlier being released at the sound of her chuckle.

'I guess,' she answered simply.

'That's as good as it can get then,' he answered with a shrug and an amused smile. He was not going to rush her if she wasn't sure. He was determined to make their relationship work and if it meant giving her time and space, so be it. She wasn't like him, being easy to move on from the past. But as opposite as she is from him, he knew – he loved her anyway.


End file.
